Coreopsis plant named ‘Core Yel’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Coreopsis  plant named ‘Core Yel’, characterized by its compact, upright and somewhat outwardly spreading plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; flat and full single inflorescences with bright yellow-colored ray florets and a red-colored “eye”; and strong peduncles.

Botanical designation: Coreopsis hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Core Yel’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofCoreopsis plant, botanically known as Coreopsis hybrida, and hereinafterreferred to by the name ‘Core Yel’.

The new Coreopsis originated from an open-pollination during the summerof 2002 in Gilroy, Calif. of an unnamed proprietary selection ofCoreopsis grandiflora×Coreopsis lanceolata, not patented, as the female,or seed, parent with an unknown selection of Coreopsis hybrida, as themale, or pollen, parent. Seeds resulting from the open pollination weresown in March, 2003. The new Coreopsis was discovered and selected bythe Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of thestated open-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment inGilroy, Calif. in September, 2003.

Asexual reproduction of the new Coreopsis by vegetative cuttings in acontrolled greenhouse environment in Gilroy, Calif. since September,2003, has shown that the unique features of this new Coreopsis arestable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Core Yel has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensity,without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Core Yel’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Core Yel’ as a new and distinct cultivar ofCoreopsis:

-   -   1. Compact, upright and somewhat outwardly spreading plant        habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely branching habit.    -   4. Freely flowering habit.    -   5. Flat and full single inflorescences with bright        yellow-colored ray florets and a red-colored “eye”.    -   6. Strong peduncles.

Plants of the new Coreopsis differ from plants of the female parentselection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Coreopsis are more compact than plants of        the female parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Coreopsis are more freely branching than        plants of the female parent selection.    -   3. Plants of the new Coreopsis have larger inflorescences than        plants of the female parent selection.    -   4. Inflorescences of plants of the new Coreopsis have a larger        and darker red-colored “eye” than plants of the female parent        selection.

Plants of the new Coreopsis can be compared to plants of the Coreopsis‘Flying Saucer’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted inGilroy, Calif., plants of the new Coreopsis differed from plants of‘Flying Saucer’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Coreopsis were more compact than plants of        ‘Flying Saucer’.    -   2. Plants of the new Coreopsis had larger and flatter        inflorescences than plants of ‘Flying Saucer’.    -   3. Plants of the new Coreopsis and ‘Flying Saucer’ differed in        inflorescence color as ray florets of plants of ‘Flying Saucer’        did not have a red-colored “eye”.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of thenew Coreopsis. These photographs shows the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe colors of the new Coreopsis.

The first photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typicalflowering plant of ‘Core Yel’ grown in a container.

The second photograph is a close-up view of typical inflorescences of‘Core Yel’.

Plants used in the aforementioned photographs were grown in Gilroy,Calif. during the summer for three months in 10-cm containers in agreenhouse and under conditions and practices which approximate thosegenerally used in commercial Coreopsis production. During the productionof the plants, day temperatures ranged from 24° C. to 32° C. and nighttemperatures averaged 18° C.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The followingobservations and measurements describe plants grown in Gilroy, Calif.during the summer in ground beds in an outdoor nursery and underconditions and practices which approximate those generally used incommercial Coreopsis production. During the production of the plants,day temperatures ranged from 24° C. to 32° C. and night temperaturesaveraged 18° C. Measurements and numerical values represent averages fortypical flowering plants. Plants were seven to nine months old when thedescription was taken.

-   Botanical classification: Coreopsis hybrida cultivar Core Yel.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of Coreopsis            grandiflora×Coreopsis lanceolata, not patented.        -   Male parent.—Unnamed selection of Coreopsis hybrida, not            patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate and develop roots.—About three to four            weeks at 20° C. to 23° C.        -   Root description.—Fibrous; white in color.        -   Rooting, habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form/growth habit.—Compact, upright and somewhat            outwardly spreading plant habit; broad inverted triangle;            freely branching habit with about four to six lateral            branches; inflorescences held above and beyond the foliage            on strong peduncles. Vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 18 cm to 24 cm.        -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 16 cm to 20 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 20 cm to 28 cm. Diameter:            About 3 mm to 4 mm. Internode length: About 3 cm to 6 cm.            Aspect: Mostly upright to outwardly spreading. Strength:            Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 146B.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple; sessile.        -   Length.—About 10.5 cm to 10.8 cm.        -   Width.—About 1.5 cm to 2.3 cm.        -   Shape.—Narrowly elliptical.        -   Apex.—Rounded to slightly acute.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded foliage, upper surface:            Close to 138A; venation, close to 138A. Developing and fully            expanded foliage, lower surface: Close to 138A; venation,            close to 138A.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Appearance.—Flat and full single terminal and axillary            inflorescences with ray and disc florets developing            acropetally on a receptacle. Inflorescences positioned above            and beyond the foliage on strong peduncles. Inflorescences            face upright. Freely flowering habit; about 100            inflorescences developing per plant during the flowering            season. Inflorescences persistent.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Time to flower.—Under natural season conditions, plants            flower continuously from the spring through to the autumn in            California.        -   Post-production longevity.—Inflorescences maintain good            substance for about 10 to 14 days on the plant.        -   Inflorescence bud.—Height: About 9 mm to 10 mm. Diameter:            About 1 cm to 1.3 cm. Shape: Globular. Color: Close to 7A.        -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 5.5 cm to 6 cm. Disc            diameter: About 1.4 cm to 1.5 cm. Receptacle height: About 1            mm to 1.5 mm.        -   Ray florets.—Shape: Narrowly spatulate. Length: About 2.7 cm            to 2.6 cm. Width: About 1.7 cm to 1.8 cm. Apex: Emarginate;            ragged appearance. Base: Truncate. Margin: Entire. Texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Papillose. Number of ray florets            per inflorescence: About eight arranged in a single whorl.            Aspect: Flat. Color: When opening, upper and lower surfaces:            Close to 17B. Fully developed, upper surface: Mid-section            and towards the apex, close to 17B; towards the base, close            to 183A, forming the “eye”. Fully developed, lower surface:            Mid-section and towards the apex, close to 12A; towards the            base, underlain with close to 183A.        -   Disc florets.—Shape: Tubular; apex dentate. Length: About            7 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Number of disc florets per            inflorescence: About 150 to 175. Color: Apex and            mid-section: Close to 17A to 17B. Base: Close to 2C.        -   Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence: About eight in a            single whorl. Length: About 9 mm to 1.5 cm. Width: About 4            mm to 5 mm. Shape: Oblanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base:            Truncate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:            Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Towards            the apex, close to 151A; towards the base, close to 144A.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 13 cm to 22 cm. Diameter: About            2 mm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostly upright to about 45°            from vertical. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to            146B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Quantity per disc floret:            Five. Anther shape: Linear. Anther length: About 7 mm.            Anther color: Close to 15A. Pollen amount: Moderate to            abundant. Pollen color: Close to 23A. Gynoecium: Quantity            per ray or disc floret: One. Pistil length: About 9 mm to            10 mm. Style length: About 6 mm to 7 mm. Style color: Close            to 12C. Stigma length: About 1 mm. Stigma color: Close to            12B.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Coreopsis have not been    shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Coreopsis.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Coreopsis have exhibited good    tolerance to rain and wind and have been observed to tolerate    temperatures from about 4° C. to about 35° C.

1. A new and distinct Coreopsis plant named ‘Core Yel’ as illustratedand described.